Teaching and Learning

A group of owls is a parliament. At MCS, a parliament is a group of students at the same grade level that will spend the day together.  It is known that mask wearing and physical distancing reduce the frequency of close contact between individuals and are (along with hand hygiene) the most effective ways to slow the spread of COVID-19. To limit the potential spread of disease and to make contact tracing easier, all students from one class and their teachers will be kept together for the entire day and will be limited from interacting with other classes. This group of students and teachers, will be referred to as a “parliament”.  Each parliament will have one classroom teacher. The parliaments will be determined by the number of students returning to school at each grade level with an effort to create balanced groups. The goal of the parliament structure is to minimize contact between multiple groups of students, and limit interactions with other adults in the school. 

Each parliament will stay in one designated classroom in addition to designated outdoor spaces. 

Each group of grade level parliaments will be a larger group that will share a bathroom (disinfected and sanitized per protocol). Each grade level group of parliaments will have a designated space where students from individual parliaments can receive specialized instruction and intervention services. These shared spaces will be cleaned and sanitized frequently (per pending schedule). Movement in and out of the building as well as within the grade level parliaments will be determined during August Inservice. 

Each Special (Library, Music, PE, Tech, Art, and French) will spend two weeks with a grade level group of parliaments. Each Special will collaborate with the grade level to establish daily specials instruction as well as providing the class with additional instruction and support. 

Each parliament will have a designated set of recess equipment that will travel in and out of the building with that parliament. Each parliament will have a designated territory outside for recess.

Other Considerations:

 

• Lunch will take place in each parliament’s classroom.

• Barriers will be installed in classrooms and workspaces where the environment does not allow for physical distancing. 

• Students’ belongings will be separated in individually labeled containers, cubbies, or areas. Belongings will be stored in the classrooms. Used items will be taken home each day and should be cleaned. 

• Adequate supplies will be provided to limit sharing of high touch materials (art supplies such as paint brushes, paints, etc., science equipment, and technology). These tools will either be assigned to each student or will be collected and disinfected between student uses. Please see individual teacher supply lists for specific details on what your student will need for school. As always, please contact the school if you need help purchasing or supplying what’s asked. We are happy to help. 

• We will not be sharing electronic devices, toys, books, musical instruments, games, or learning manipulatives. 

• Students will not be allowed to bring non-academic items (toys, stuffed animals, etc.) to school. 

• Seating arrangements and desks will be kept between three and six feet apart. 

• We will not be gathering on the playground before school. Students will, after screening, go directly to their classrooms. 

• At recess time(s) during the day, students will first wash their hands and then go outdoors to their parliament’s designated area on the grounds. These areas will include a variety of activities/spaces. 

• Students will then return to their classrooms, follow hand hygiene, and transition to the next activity.